Kailroad-switch



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS H. HODGES, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,051, dated February 7, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SILAs H. Honens, of Rutland, in the county ofRutland and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Tm provedRailroad-Switch, of which the following is a full and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying draw ings and to the letterstherein.

Figure l, is a plan of a rail-road track with branches and the improvedswitch. Fig. 2, is a side-view of the switch rod, with the catchesattached. Fig. 3, is a view from above of the same.

The rails are constructed and arranged in the following well knownmanner. The rails (a a) of the single track are protracted withoutinterruption, and form the outside rails of two branch tracks. Theinside rails of these branch tracks (l) o) approach the outside ones sonear as barely to permit the flange of the wheel to pass between. Theyare beveled off next to the outside rails, and brought to a point, stillpreserving the same distance from them. They are all permanently fixed,and so arranged that, when an engine on either of the double tracksreaches the junction, the tread of the wheel will reach over the pointof the inside rail, and, before it leaves the point, will run upon therail of the single track. A like result will follow when an engine runsfrom the single track past the junction; the tread will rest upon thepoint of the short rail on the proper side, before it leaves the rail ofthe single track.

The switches (c c) play upon a pivot, and are bent inward at that end,so as to insure the entrance of the wheel iange. They lie, near theother end, upon the switch rod, but are not attached to it permanently,nor to one another. But, when the switch rod is drawn either way, theswitches are carried with it by means of two catches (e e) hung uponpivots on the switch rod. The switch upon one side is thus brought intoclose connection with the point of the short rail on that side; and itthus forces the wheel of an engine coming from the single track upon thedouble track on that side. From the point of the short rail the switchbends inward so as to permit boss or cam (f f) attached .to the catch torise up between the switch and the rail. If now, an engine comes uponone double track, when the switch is adjusted for the other, the flangeof the wheel will press down this boss, and

Vwith it the catch, so as to release the switch,

which it will throw aside, and pass` on unobstructed. The switch mustcome so near the rail at the proper point, as to insure its beingcrowded aside by the flange when the switch is disengaged from thecatch; and the boss must rise high enough to insure the catch beingsuficiently depressed, and be made with a slope on the top so that thewheel-flange will mount it.

Instead of the above catch (e) an axle or swivel may be run through theswitch, with a wing or arm on the inside to catch in the switch-rod andsecure the switch to it. Another wing or arm on the outside of theswitch must be so constructed, that the flange of a wheel coming on thewrong track will depress it, and disconnect the lirst from theswitch-iod, and with it the switch. Other devices may be employed forthe saine purpose.

Switches have been already used in connection with a similar arrangementof rails, making a close connection with the short rail like the above,but obstructing an engine coming on the wrong track, unless removed byhand. Others have a suiiicient opening between the switch rail and thepoint of the short railv to allow the wheel liange of such an engine topass. I setup no title to either.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A switch (0,)and catch (6,) used in connection with rails, all constructed andarranged as above described; the switch being attached to the switch rodonly by the catch, so that it will be held rm, and insure an enginetaking the side track for which it is adjusted, though it will bedisengaged and thrown aside by an engine coming on the other track, andleave it a free passage, as shown above.

S. H. HODGES.

Witnesses CALVIN EDGnR'roN, CHARLES COLBURN.

